Higher Institute of Environmental Science (HIES)

Over time, the threats and impacts to tropical forests have become more complex and dynamic. Efforts to protect, manage and understand the functioning of the tropical ecosystems have traditionally been the realm of biologists, ecologists, foresters, students and resource managers. However, it has become increasingly evident that the challenges of concervation can only be effectively resolved if all actors whose decisions and actions shape tropical landscapes are also engaged. Most importantly relevant stakeholders need to be adequately equipped with the knowledge and skills.
The curriculum of HIES is built on teaching provided by Universities in Cameroon and partner universities such as University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in USA and University of Gent in Belgium.What makes HIES different from other universities is the judicious combination of theoretical and practical lessons which makes trainees ready for the job market upon graduation.
Thus, it is essential to build and strengthen the technical capacity and leadership abilities of those who either work directly on, or influence, tropical forest and biodiversity conservation and management.HIES uses its capacity-building efforts, particularly training and leadership enhancing activities, to raise awareness about the importance of conserving and managing tropical forests and biodiversity, introduce key actors from different sectors of society to novel concepts and conservation opportunities, equip these
individuals with the necessary skills to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate their efforts, and promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences.In addition, HIES offers its participants other professional and personal development opportunities aimed at catalyzing concrete conservation efforts.Besides the normal training (Degree, Masters and PhD), HIES will organize refresher courses on environmental sciences for individuals from government, the corporate sector, community and indigenous groups, and non-governmental organizations. By bringing together people from different sectors, HIES helps to foster dialogue across groups and to encourage multi-stakeholder action around the common goal of conservation and sustainable management of tropical forests. All of HIES’s activities are directed towards addressing the most pressing conservation issues and challenges confronting tropical forest ecosystems. Ultimately, HIES aims to foster a new cadre of traning environmental leaders in the tropics and particularly the Congo Basin.